Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for November 2012

Published: November 13, 2012 | Updated: November 14, 2012

Version: 2.0

This bulletin summary lists security bulletins released for November2012.

With the release of the security bulletins for November 2012, this bulletin summary replaces the bulletin advance notification originally issued November 8, 2012. For more information about the bulletin advance notification service, see Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification.

Microsoft also provides information to help customers prioritize monthly security updates with any non-security updates that are being released on the same day as the monthly security updates. Please see the section, Other Information.

Bulletin Information

Executive Summaries

The following table summarizes the security bulletins for this month in order of severity.

For details on affected software, see the next section, Affected Software and Download Locations.

Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (2761451)This security update resolves three privately reported vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted webpage using Internet Explorer. An attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could gain the same user rights as the current user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

Vulnerabilities in Windows Shell Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2727528) This security update resolves two privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user browses to a specially crafted briefcase in Windows Explorer. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code as the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take complete control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

Vulnerabilities in .NET Framework Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2745030) This security update resolves five privately reported vulnerabilities in the .NET Framework. The most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if an attacker convinces the user of a target system to use a malicious proxy auto configuration file and then injects code into the currently running application.

Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2761226) This security update resolves three privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. The most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted document or visits a malicious webpage that embeds TrueType font files. An attacker would have to convince users to visit the website, typically by getting them to click a link in an email message that takes them to the attacker's website.

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2720184) This security update resolves four privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted Excel file with an affected version of Microsoft Excel. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerabilities could gain the same user rights as the current user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

The following table provides an exploitability assessment of each of the vulnerabilities addressed this month. The vulnerabilities are listed in order of bulletin ID then CVE ID. Only vulnerabilities that have a severity rating of Critical or Important in the bulletins are included.

How do I use this table?

Use this table to learn about the likelihood of code execution and denial of service exploits within 30 days of security bulletin release, for each of the security updates that you may need to install. Review each of the assessments below, in accordance with your specific configuration, to prioritize your deployment of this month's updates. For more information about what these ratings mean, and how they are determined, please see Microsoft Exploitability Index.

In the columns below, "Latest Software Release" refers to the subject software, and "Older Software Releases" refers to all older, supported releases of the subject software, as listed in the "Affected Software" and "Non-Affected Software" tables in the bulletin.

The following tables list the bulletins in order of major software category and severity.

How do I use these tables?

Use these tables to learn about the security updates that you may need to install. You should review each software program or component listed to see whether any security updates pertain to your installation. If a software program or component is listed, then the available software update is hyperlinked and the severity rating of the software update is also listed.

Note You may have to install several security updates for a single vulnerability. Review the whole column for each bulletin identifier that is listed to verify the updates that you have to install, based on the programs or components that you have installed on your system.

[2]Customers running Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 on Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, and Windows RT are not affected by this issue. The Windows 8 Client and Windows Server 2012 General Availability Cumulative Update (KB2756872) that was released on October 10, 2012 contains additional defense-in-depth changes. Customers who have not already installed this update are encouraged to do so as a defense-in-depth measure. See the More Information section in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2745030 for more detail. For download links and further information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2756872. Note that this update contains non-security related content.

[1]For Microsoft Excel 2007, in addition to security update package KB2687307, customers also need to install the security update for the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack (KB2687311) to be protected from the vulnerabilities described in this bulletin.

[2]Microsoft Excel Viewer must be updated to a supported service pack level (Excel Viewer 2007 Service Pack 2 or Excel Viewer 2007 Service Pack 3) before installing this update. For information about supported Office viewers, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 979860.

For customers of Microsoft Office for Mac, Microsoft AutoUpdate for Mac can help keep your Microsoft software up to date. For more information about using Microsoft AutoUpdate for Mac, see Check for software updates automatically.

Finally, security updates can be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The Microsoft Update Catalog provides a searchable catalog of content made available through Windows Update and Microsoft Update, including security updates, drivers and service packs. By searching using the security bulletin number (such as, "MS12-001"), you can add all of the applicable updates to your basket (including different languages for an update), and download to the folder of your choosing. For more information about the Microsoft Update Catalog, see the Microsoft Update Catalog FAQ.

Detection and Deployment Guidance

Microsoft provides detection and deployment guidance for security updates. This guidance contains recommendations and information that can help IT professionals understand how to use various tools for detection and deployment of security updates. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 961747.

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

The Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security updates as well as common security misconfigurations. For more information about MBSA, see Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.

System Center Configuration Manager Software Update Management simplifies the complex task of delivering and managing updates to IT systems across the enterprise. With System Center Configuration Manager, IT administrators can deliver updates of Microsoft products to a variety of devices including desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices.

The automated vulnerability assessment in System Center Configuration Manager discovers needs for updates and reports on recommended actions. The Software Update Management in System Center Configuration Manager is built on Microsoft Windows Software Update Services (WSUS), a time-tested update infrastructure that is familiar to IT administrators worldwide. For more information about System Center Configuration Manager, see System Center Technical Resources.

Systems Management Server 2003

Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) delivers a highly-configurable enterprise solution for managing updates. By using SMS, administrators can identify Windows-based systems that require security updates and to perform controlled deployment of these updates throughout the enterprise with minimal disruption to end users.

Note System Management Server 2003 is out of mainstream support as of January 12, 2010. For more information on product lifecycles, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle. The next release of SMS, System Center Configuration Manager, is now available; see the earlier section, System Center Configuration Manager.

Note SMS uses the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer to provide broad support for security bulletin update detection and deployment. Some software updates may not be detected by these tools. Administrators can use the inventory capabilities of SMS in these cases to target updates to specific systems. For more information about this procedure, see Deploying Software Updates Using the SMS Software Distribution Feature. Some security updates require administrative rights following a restart of the system. Administrators can use the Elevated Rights Deployment Tool (available in the SMS 2003 Administration Feature Pack) to install these updates.

Update Compatibility Evaluator and Application Compatibility Toolkit

Updates often write to the same files and registry settings required for your applications to run. This can trigger incompatibilities and increase the time it takes to deploy security updates. You can streamline testing and validating Windows updates against installed applications with the Update Compatibility Evaluator components included with Application Compatibility Toolkit.

The Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) contains the necessary tools and documentation to evaluate and mitigate application compatibility issues before deploying Windows Vista, a Windows Update, a Microsoft Security Update, or a new version of Windows Internet Explorer in your environment.

Other Information

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

Microsoft has released an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services, and the Download Center.

Non-Security Updates on MU, WU, and WSUS

For information about non-security releases on Windows Update and Microsoft Update, please see:

You can obtain the security updates offered this month on Windows Update, from Download Center on Security and Critical Releases ISO CD Image files. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 913086.

IT Pro Security Community

Learn to improve security and optimize your IT infrastructure, and participate with other IT Pros on security topics in IT Pro Security Community.

Acknowledgments

Microsoft thanks the following for working with us to help protect customers:

Jose A. Vazquez of spa-s3c.blogspot.com, working with VeriSign iDefense Labs, for reporting two issues described in MS12-071

Support

The affected software listed have been tested to determine which versions are affected. Other versions are past their support life cycle. To determine the support life cycle for your software version, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the Microsoft Knowledge Base is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Microsoft disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages, even if Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages so the foregoing limitation may not apply.

Revisions

V1.0 (November 13, 2012): Bulletin Summary published.

V1.1 (November 13, 2012): For MS12-075, corrected the CVE title and Denial of Service Exploitability Assessment in the Exploitability Index for CVE-2012-2897.

V2.0 (November 14, 2012): For MS12-073, revised Bulletin Summary to reflect that the KB2716513 update on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 is now available through all distribution channels, including Windows Update and Microsoft Update. See the MS12-073 bulletin for details.